Ronin Warriors Lost Season Three
by Black Lothlorien
Summary: My version of what should have happened in the third season if there had been one. PG13 for later chapters. Chapters are split up as episodes, so you just need to read, relax and imagine the action and the environment...
1. A New Treachery

Season Three – A New Treachery – Episode One

Ryo dashed after Whiteblaze, who carried the glowing ball in his mouth. He was still laughing from Yuli's little outburst when the white tiger had snatched it from him. Now, all the Ronins, plus Mia and a giggling Yuli, chased the tiger.

Suddenly, Whiteblaze stopped, nearly tripping Ryo. Kento was not so lucky, because he flipped over the crossways tiger, landing on his back. Cye laughed as he helped him stand.

"Hey, boy, what's wrong?" Ryo knelt beside the tiger, then realized that he no longer held the Jewel of Life in his mouth. Instead, a white haired man in a business suit held it in his hand, "Who are you?"

"I am disappointed that you do not recognize me, Ryo of the Wildfire," The man's voice, even without the mystical reverberation, was instantly acknowledged by everyone there.

"Ancient!" Mia cried, and Yuli ran to him and hugged him around the legs. The Ancient smiled and knelt, placing the now-complacent Jewel around his neck.

"Ancient? But—aren't you—" Ryo took a step back and scratched his head.

"When one dies in the Netherworld, anything is possible," He chuckled, his strangely hazel-green eyes glittering, "Speaking of such, I have another friend to reintroduce to you."

The Ancient motioned to the alleyway that stood just behind him, "Come, Warlord. We are all friends here."

A shadow moved, reluctantly at first, then a figure emerged from the darkness. He wore a varsity jacket with the number '06' and the letter 'A' on the chest. Under that, he donned a simple dark red t-shirt and jeans, with black boots.

"Anubis?" Mia gasped, her eyes widening. She stepped up to the man, who nodded.

"Yes, Mia, it is I," He smiled, "The Ancient awakened me after he, too, regained life. It appears that we are needed here, in the mortal realm."

"Anubis!" Now the former Warlord felt the brunt of Yuli's embrace. The little kid jumped up and nearly knocked him over, "You're alive!"

"I won't be for long if you keep crushing my ribs," The man's face turned slightly red with embarrassment as Yuli released him and the Ronins gathered around him and that Ancient.

"I can't believe it! This is so cool!" Kento exulted. Cye laughed and shook hands with the Ancient while Rowen amiably clapped Anubis on the back. Sage shook his former enemy's hand with a knowing smile on his face.

When Anubis seemed to be confused by his smile, the Ronin of Light tipped his head ever so slightly toward Mia, who was standing with her hands clasped. Sage leaned forward, "You're all she's talked about."

"Really?" Anubis looked towards her and smiled, slightly unsure as to what he should do, "Halo, I—what should I do? Remember, I'm a thousand years out of practice."

"Don't worry about it," Rowen stepped in, "Let her make the first move and just be yourself."

Anubis held his hand to the back of his head, embarrassed, and laughed. His voice did not seem so cruel or grating as it did while he fought in the war. His laugh was infectious, and it spread to the others.

"Can they come home with us, Mia? Please?" Yuli begged, "For dinner, at least? Please, Mia, please?"

"Well…" She hesitated, more for theatrical value than actual reluctance, "I suppose. Cye is cooking tonight anyway."

"Yeah!" Yuli jumped into the air and laughed, "Anubis! Ancient! I wanna show you all the cool stuff in her house! It's like a museum!"

Ryo laughed and saw the Ancient kneel by Whiteblaze, who seemed to nod sadly. Then the tiger jumped onto the older man, licking his face and roaring happily. A second later, Whiteblaze jumped off and roared at Anubis, who jumped.

The tiger waded through the Ronins and sidled up to the former Warlord, who knelt, "It is good to see you again, Whiteblaze. Or should I say, Urugasi?"

The tiger roared happily and licked his face. Anubis laughed and embraced the tiger around the neck.

"I don't get it, Ancient," Ryo rubbed the back of his head.

"Whiteblaze was known as Urugasi by his original owner, who lovingly raised him from a runt kitten," The Ancient responded, and Ryo noticed that Whiteblaze was nuzzling Anubis' shoulder and purring loudly.

"Anubis is—Whiteblaze's owner?" Ryo seemed taken aback.

"What?" Kento looked surprised, while Cye laughed. Sage and Rowen just exchanged looks.

"Yes, I found Whiteblaze when I was barely twelve years old," Anubis sighed, "I left him behind, at home, on the fateful day when Talpa ensnared me in his trap."

"The Whiteblaze that I fought with was Urugasi's father," The Ancient said sadly, "My Whiteblaze died many years ago, even though his family seems to live forever."

Ryo approached Anubis, "Well…I guess he's yours, then…"

Anubis stood and took his hand, "Wildfire, when he was mine, all he knew was poverty and sadness, and I did not even remember nor think of him when Talpa offered me his immortality. You have given him love, a good home…no, he is yours now, through the love that you have shown him."

Whiteblaze rubbed against Anubis one last time, then stood by Ryo. Anubis knelt to face him, "Yes, he belongs with you."

"Thanks, Anubis," Ryo grinned and petted Whiteblaze.

"Now, let's all head to my house for supper!" Mia exclaimed, and Yuli whooped in happiness. Kento laughed and picked him up on his shoulders.

"Oof, kid, have you been eating like me? You've gained pounds, little buddy," The Ronin of Hardrock laughed and the entire group began to walk back towards Mia's jeep.

"Anubis…" Mia walked beside him as the man shoved his hands into his jacket pockets, "I—"

"Oh, Meeeeeeeeeeeyyyyyyaaaaaaaa!" An annoying, high pitched voice came from over on the sidewalk, making Anubis grimace in pain, "Over here, girl!"

"It's Usagi," Mia groaned, "The rest of you go on. I'll be home in a little while. Start supper without me."

"Are you sure, Mia?" Ryo asked.

"With Usagi, she'll probably drag me out for pizza anyway," The young woman groaned and ran over to the group of women on the sidewalk. She was instantly ushered out of sight.

Dinner was a quiet event. The Ancient was naturally serene, but Anubis seemed subdued…unnaturally silent. Sage noticed this, and, about the same time, so did Cye. The Britan made the first move.

"Hey, Anubis, do you feel all right? You don't look too well," Cye said, laying his chopsticks down on the table. He had made the best chow mien and traditional Chinese food ever, for it was Kento's turn to have his favorite food on the table.

"No, I—" He stumbled over his words and held his hand to his forehead, "I feel strange somehow…"

Sage looked down at the food, "It couldn't be Cye's cooking…could it?"

That earned him a flying napkin in the face from Cye, who in turn shook his head, "I've made it before. There's nothing wrong with my food, unless Anubis isn't…"

"No, it is not the food. The food is delicious, the best I've had in over a thousand years," The former warlord lowered his hand, "I just have a headache…"

Now the Ancient broke in, his voice tentative, "I feared that something like this would happen. Do you still have Mia's grandfather's files?"

"Yeah, they're upstairs, in her study," Ryo stood from the table.

"Good. I'm sorry to cut dinner short, but if this is what I fear, Anubis may have a great problem," In unison, all who sat at the table, including Yuli, stood. Ryo led the Anicent and the others up the stairs to Mia's study.

Anubis gazed at the suits of armor and weapons that stood in the room while Ryo booted up the computer, then handed it over to the Ancient, whose fingers flew as if he were an expert.

Rowen stood by Anubis, "You wanna sit down, Anubis? You don't look the best."

"I—" Suddenly his eyes widened and he reached out to touch a sword on the wall. It resembled a lengthy katana with a guard over the hilt and handle. Symbols engraved in the blade shone when Anubis touched it.

"What…?" Rowen took a step back.

"This sword…it belonged to Cale, before…"Anubis withdrew his hand, and the symbol's fire faded, "Before Talpa seduced him. There was a time when all was peaceful in the Dynasty, when Talpa still gathered power. We Warlords shared our stories, and Cale told us of the final battle, when his sword was taken from him by the same enemy who gave him his scar."

"Whoa," Cye exclaimed, to the background of typing.

"That is why he hated me so much, because of the scar I gave him," Anubis sighed, "They all hated me. Talpa took me first, then used me and my armor to seduce the others, offering them revenge upon me 'when' he achieved his goal with their help."

"So he started using you right from the beginning," Sage shook his head, "What a mess. He really played you all like a deck of cards."

Anubis only nodded, then raised his hand to his head again when a throbbing pain began again. The computer beeped, and all eyes went to the Ancient, who cast his eyes down, as if ashamed.

"I should have seen this coming, Anubis. I apologize now for bringing you into this battle," The Ancient sighed, "The Netherspirits that remain in the Netherworld must have stolen Anubis' original body from the wreckage of the funeral tower where Talpa imprisoned him."

"What?" Anubis spun to face him.

"How can that be?" Rowen demanded, "Didn't Kayura and the others stop them?"

"I do not know," The Ancient admitted, "We must go and discover why this treachery has been allowed to occur."

"The Ronin Warriors are back in business!" Kento whooped.


	2. Nightmares For Anubis

Season Three – Nightmares for Anubis – Episode Two

"The Ronin Warriors are back in business!" Kento whooped.

"I'm afraid not, Kento of Hardrock, for the Gate that will bring us into the Dynasty can only take five at a time, and Anubis and I must go," The Ancient shook his head as he stood from the computer.

"So, how do we decide which three of us will go?" Ryo asked.

"Well, personally, I'm in no hurry to go back to the Dynasty," Cye admitted, "I'd rather stay here, if that's all right with you."

"I don't want to go if Cye doesn't," Kento said, wrapping his arm around his friend's neck, "I'll get to hear all the stories when you come back, though."

"What about—" Rowen's words were drowned out by Whiteblaze's roar. The white tiger seemed to be able to understand what was happening, and wanted to be there to help his old master.

"I would like Halo to accompany us as well, for his skills may be very useful to us if indeed the dark Netherspirits are attacking Anubis through dark magic," The Ancient said quietly.

Rowen looked at Ryo, "I want to go as much as anyone else here, but Ryo should go too. If needed, he can create the White Armor, right?"

The Ancient shook his head, "The old armors are powerless now that Talpa is gone, even though it was the Jewel of Life that gave them their might.."

"If the armors have nothing to do with it, why—" Sage began.

"Your natural skills in the art of healing and peace make you a great adversary against dark magic and they that wield it. Even without your armor, you hold the spirit of Halo."

"So then who's going?" Ryo demanded. No one spoke.

"I will."

Every head turned, and Anubis spun, "Mia, no…"

She walked into the room and set her purse down on the table near the door, "I know more about the armors than any of the Ronins, and I can carry the portable computer and use it if need be."

"Your willingness to help will never cease to amaze me, Mia," The Ancient nodded, "It is done then. Whiteblaze, Sage, and Mia will accompany Anubis and I to the Dynasty and try to save Anubis from the Netherspirits."

"So, what do you want us to do?" Kento stepped forward, representing the four Ronins who were to be left behind.

"All you can do is wait," The Ancient said, "I hope that we can return before the Gate needs to recharge, but if it does regain power before we return, you four must travel through, in case we have failed."

"You won't fail," Cye said trustingly, "I know it."

"We cannot leave until the morning sun had arisen," The Ancient turned towards the window, "Until then, I suggest that you all rest, even those that are to stay behind. Tomorrow will be a tiring day."

Rowen nodded and they all went to their separate rooms…except Anubis and the Ancient.

"Oh, don't stand there like you plan to stay awake all night," Mia set her hands on her hips, "This is an enormous house. We have plenty of room for guests. I think my grandfather built it that way on purpose."

That night, with the moonlight streaming into the room, painting the walls unearthly shades of blue, Anubis dreamt.

He tossed underneath the thin sheet, images of battles, former victories, all his, flashing before his eyes. He saw the death and carnage his blade and kasuri-gama induced and the destruction that he waged on the world around him.

He saw himself laughing, reveling in the pain he caused. Every cry he caused made his armor of Cruelty grow in power, and the spirit of the Ogre swelled inside him.

Then the battles against the other Warlords formed inside his mind. He saw when he taunted Sekhmet into the den of snakes that he feared so much. When the first cobra had struck, he heard himself laugh as the man grew into such anger that he traded his everlasting soul for the immortality and revenge he might some day receive.

Dais rose against him then, once he had emerged from the cave of snakes. Talpa had driven Anubis to the spider-lord's home and challenged him. If he could defeat Talpa's champion, Anubis, he would have immortality and power.

That fight had cost Dais his eye. The white haired man promised his everlasting allegiance to the Lord of the Dark Realm in exchange for the revenge that he promised he would gain. Anubis had simply laughed.

Cale was a different matter. He had approached Anubis, instead of the champion being told who to challenge. He had known Dais and Sekhmet, and had discovered their newfound power before being taken to the Dynasty.

He wanted it…

He wanted to destroy the man who had cause such pain to his friends…

He wanted to kill the creature that scourged his home in years past, the ethereally strong being that seemed to have no remorse for the blood that he spilt, the blood of Cale's father, mother, brothers…

…And Cale's wife and baby boy.

He wanted revenge.

And he wanted it now.

The two men had fallen into a great fight before Talpa had stepped in, promising Cale his revenge if he joined his group of elite, his Warlords. Cale had accepted without hesitation and had turned a smug and promising glare onto his sworn adversary.

That glare had nearly cost his eye, like Dais.

Now, trapped in the throes of the nightmare, Anubis tossed and turned, his body tense with the pain he thought that he was feeling. The agony had fueled him, giving him strength, but now it sickened him.

"No! No, Sekhmet! Do not—" He tossed and struggled against some invisible bond, "Do not enter the cave! Dais! Stay away! Refuse! Oh, Dais, refuse, I beg you!"

The specters in his dream repeated history.

Then he saw Cale.

"Cale! No! By all the good in the world, do not attack!" Anubis shook, "Please! I beg you!"

As he convulsed in the torment and suffering of his nightmare, the door to his room was flung open and the Ancient and Whiteblaze ran in, the Ronins, Mia, and a scared Yuli following.

"Anubis! Wake up!" The Ancient grabbed the man's bare shoulders, "Wake up! Now!"

Whiteblaze roared loudly. Suddenly, Anubis' eyes snapped open. He cried out in pain as he sat up suddenly, holding his head in his hands. His entire body shook as tears poured down his cheeks.

"Oh, God, what have I done?" He cried softly. Whiteblaze reached up and licked the side of his old master's face.

"What did you see, Anubis?" The Ancient asked carefully.

Mia and the others stood in the darkened hallway, waiting. Yuli grabbed Mia's waist and she rested her hand on his back.

"I—I relived the days when I—" He shook, "The battles—they were all so real. Sekhmet, Dais and Cale…I saw them. I saw the hate in their eyes. Their hatred—for me—that is what caused them to fall!"

"Anubis, you were under Talpa's control," The Ancient said.

"No! No, it was all my joy! I took joy in watching others suffer needlessly!" He held his forehead, "I laughed when Sekhmet was bitten by the cobra viper. I reveled when I destroyed Dais' eye. It was all a game for me!"

The Ronins exchanged saddened looks. This man, who had been under Talpa's control for so long, was being torn.

"If I had not been such a fool, Talpa would have never amassed the Warlords," Anubis shuddered and raised his hand to Whiteblaze's fur, "I would have lived, and died…like I was meant to…"

"You should rest now," The Ancient said quietly, pressing gently on Anubis' shoulders, pushing him back to the pillow, "Sleep a dreamless slumber, my friend."

He pressed his hand on Anubis' clammy forehead. The former Warlord, despair written on his face, feared returning to the land of the resting. But his eyes closed and his face took on the look of one in a place of true peace.

"Come, he must be left alone," The Ancient ushered them all out, except for Whiteblaze, who lay beside his old master's bed.

"What happened, Ancient one?" Ryo asked, glancing back at the closed door, "He was in such pain…what would have caused that?"

"I believe that the Netherspirits have his old body. Now they are trying to destroy his spirit through whatever link he still has with it," The Ancient sighed, "They are making him relive the battles while he was under Talpa's control."

"Whoa," Kento rubbed the back of his neck, "Poor guy…"

"I know he has enough strength to get through this, but I worry about his mind," Cye said quietly, "What happens if the Netherspirits break his will?"

"Pray, for his sake, that the day never dawns," The Ancient said grimly.


	3. A New Gate

Season Three – A New Gate – Episode Three

The next morning, at breakfast, everyone spoke lightly about what they planned to do. Kento kept asking how long it would take for the Gate that they were planning on using to recharge.

The Ancient always responded with a laugh, saying that he did not know. Then, he paused, and looked up, towards the balcony that led to the rooms. Anubis was walking towards the stairs, unsteadily, but with Whiteblaze at is side.

He descended the stairs with little difficulty, and the Ancient motioned to his place at the table. The former Warlord wore a long sleeved maroon shirt and jeans, and he carried his varsity jacket with him.

"I want to apologize for what happened last night. I…" His voice trailed off as he sat.

"Don't worry about it, Anubis," Kento said cheerfully, "It's all good! Hey, you have simply got to try Cye's pancakes, man. They are the best!"

"Kento has got ya there, Anubis," Rowen smirked, "I'd bet Mia's computer that the Dynasty never had this good of food."

The Ronins laughed, and Anubis chuckled slightly, "Actually, we barely ate in the Dynasty. Our food was simple, bland yet healthy. Hardrock would have starved to death on our diet."

"I wouldn't be surprised, hey," Kento said, leaning back on his chair, grinning widely as Cye brought out a plate of pancakes for Anubis, Yuli, and Sage, who had not eaten yet. Suddenly, Kento sat up, "Hey, Cye, they got three! You only gave me two!"

"I thought you might enjoy a diet right about now, Kento," Cye said, leaning against the doorway to the kitchen, "After all, look at your figure! You need to lose weight!"

"Why, you little—" Kento leapt to his feet and chased Cye back into the kitchen. They all heard a sudden rush of water as Cye turned on the faucet hose and began soaking his friend, right in the face.

Everyone burst out into laughter, even Anubis, who, afterwards, ate heartily. He admitted later that it was the best he had eaten in his entire life.

Sadly, the time came when the Ancient One announced that the time had come for them to leave.

"Come, the Gate awaits us," The Ancient turned to the others that were to stay behind, "We will see you again soon."

"Of course," Cye smiled, "Don't take too long, okay?"

"We'll save some bad guys just for you, okay?" Sage grinned at Kento.

"Well, duh," The Ronin of Hardrock shrugged exaggeratedly, then wrapped an arm around the blonde's neck, "Don't get into too much trouble, Blondie. I'm not there to get you out."

"Since when have I needed your backup?" Sage quipped, slipping easily out of his friend's grip. Kento only gave him a grin and a thumbs-up.

"Come."

The Ancient led Sage, Anubis, Mia, and Whiteblaze out, into the forest. They walked for what felt like hours, until the sun was directly overhead. Mia stumbled on the rough forest trail, but Anubis was always there to steady her.

Sage stopped once to stare at a tree that seemed to have just fallen recently.

"What is wrong, Halo?"

"I don't know," The Ronin admitted, "I feel weird, like that tree."

He pointed.

"I see it, but how does out current circumstances make you feel like a fallen tree?" Anubis was slightly confused.

"I feel ready to be cut, molded, and shaped into something beautiful, something useful, something that can be used for the good of all," Sage said, "But I feel like it all happened while I was completely alone. And no one will ever knew the point to which I have reached."

"Some day, Halo, you will be given a chance to be shaped and formed, like clay in the potter's hands," The Ancient nodded, "Then you will become a great warrior, greater than you are now, and you shall not live in obscurity."

"So the world will know what really happened in Toyama? Will they all know who we are, and what we did for them?"

"Perhaps."

"Ancient One, you aren't telling us everything," Mia sighed.

"I tell you only what you need to hear, young lady," The Ancient smiled, "All will be revealed in time. Even your destiny will come to fulfillment some day."

"Just…some day?" She asked, "You can't give me a time schedule?"

"Time and Fate hearken to no mortal date book," He shook his head, "Everything will happen in its own way, in its own time."

"Have I fulfilled my destiny, Ancient One?" Anubis asked, "Or have I missed my time to become what I am meant to be?"

"Anubis, you still hold a light of purity in your heart, something that Talpa could not steal, but he hid it from you, keeping you occupied, keeping you from wishing to look for it," The Ancient nodded, "You still have a destiny, of this, I know."

"Good, then I have purpose as well," Anubis caught Mia as she tripped again.

"Oh, it's just this backpack," She smiled tiredly, "It is so heavy with the computer in it."

"Mia, I can safely tell you now that you will not need that computer," The Ancient turned to face her, "You should leave it with the Gatekeeper. Otherwise, it will just be a bothersome burden."

"Then why am I even coming…?"

"Because of all the knowledge that you hold in your heart as well as your mind," He smiled and turned back to the path.

They finally reached a small pond. The Ancient moved to the edge and sat. The others followed suit. He mumbled a few words and held his hand out to the water.

At first nothing happened. 

Then a ripple began in the center, then it intensified, until there was column of water tearing through the air. It disappeared as fast as it had begun, leaving a woman in monk's clothing standing on the surface of the now calm liquid.

"It has been far too long," She resembled the Ancient in too many ways, "You are in need of the New Gate."

"Yes, Sahé," The Ancient stood and nodded, "May I introduce my friends, Mia, Anubis, Sage, and Whiteblaze. This is Sahé, the Keeper of the New Gate that leads to the Dynasty. The New Gate was created upon Talpa's death."

"And it is my duty to guard it for all eternity, until the end of this world and the beginning of another," She smiled, her voice sounding watery, as if she spoke from the bottom of the pond, "Then I will be given another task by the Almighty."

"Sahé, we need entrance to the Dynasty," The Ancient said, "And Mia has a belonging which she would like you to guard as well."

"This I can do easily," She nodded and reached out, "Place it in my hand."

Mia took the backpack and set it in her hands.

"Heavy," Sahé mused, "Now I have no doubts as to why you wish to leave it behind. This would certainly burden you down and bog your steps where nimbleness is needed."

The backpack seemed to dissolve into water. 

"It will be completely safe in my keeping and I will return it to you, undamaged," Sahé smiled and took a step to the side. A turtle rose to meet her foot and keep her on the surface of the water.

"And, now, Sahé, we must—"

"Of course, why else would you be here?" Suddenly, she seemed to turn into a figure of glass—no, water. She held her hand out before her, palms facing the five beings. Water swirled from her palms and created a kind of gate.

"Come, my friends," The Ancient stepped out onto the water…and walked on the surface. As they did the same, Sage realized that there were turtles holding them up, same as Sahé.

The vortex swirled before them and they walked through, one at a time.


	4. Fear Revealed

Season Three – Fear Revealed – Episode Four

Anubis found himself underwater, straining for breath. He released what precious air he had and followed the rising bubbles, fighting for the surface. He broke the plane of the water, gasping for air. He was treading water in the middle of an enormous sea of lilies.

"The earth has sunk here," He realized, then searched the horizon. He found what he was looking for and swam towards it. His feet touched a slope, and, eventually, he stood in ankle-deep water.

There was a floating barge in the distance that came closer. The barge was soon directly overhead, and a rope was thrown down.

"A-Anubis?" Kayura's surprise was evident in her voice and her face as she beheld the man that had been killed releasing her from her bondage to Talpa, "How can you be here? You're dead!"

"I am more alive than you believe," He grumbled, still soaking wet. He shook the water out of his long red-brown hair, but he still felt like a half-drowned rat.

"How?" Sekhmet asked, from the side of the ship.

"Must you ask all these questions, Sekhmet?" He snapped, "The Ancient is alive as well. He, Sage of the Halo, Mia Koji, and Whiteblaze are out there still."

"We will find them. Do not worry," Dais said from his perch atop one of the pillar-beams, "Though I believe that I speak for all of us when I say that we did not expect to see you again."

"I doubted very much that I would ever come face-to-face with you again, Dais," Anubis admitted, then cast his eyes down, "In fact, I dreaded seeing you all again."

"Why, Anubis? Because we refused to listen to you? Because our greed had consumed us all so completely that we were fools not to believe you when you spoke the truth to our faces?" Cale said from the shadow of one of the large beams.

"No…" Anubis shook his head, spraying water from his bangs, "Because I feared your revenge."

"What?" Dais demanded.

"What are you talking about?" Sekhmet looked confused.

"Why would we take revenge on the man that gave us the light and truth?" Cale stood beside the man who had tried to save him.

"Because it was I that mislead you in the first place," Anubis' hands clenched into fists, "You should all hate me. I would not blame you for killing me where I stand now."

"We would not raise a hand against you," Sekhmet said, startling the long, red-brown haired man.

"What? Why not? After all I did to you?" Anubis looked at each man with surprise and something else in his face.

"You are a friend now," Dais leapt down and stood before him, "And we trust you as one."

"Thank you," Anubis whispered, a tear sliding down his cheek, "I—but I—I must apologize. I know that it is no consolation for the pain I put you all through—"

"You need not even apologize, my friend," Cale shook his head, "All has been forgiven when we were reborn as clean souls."

"But I promised you retribution…"

"Perhaps some day, but not now, not here," Dais suddenly laughed.

"What is so funny?" Cale demanded.

"Anubis—" He laughed, "You look like a drowned rat!"

They all began laughing, Anubis, Cale, Dais, Sekhmet, and Kayura, together. Then they heard a cry from over board.

"Lady Kayura! Here!" It was the Ancient, and Mia, Sage, and Whiteblaze were with him, "We have come from the mortal world."

"Then come!" Kayura stretched out the staff and the four figures were raised to the deck, "We have found Anubis already, and he is need of a towel. You?"

"Completely dry, thanks," Sage said, glancing at Anubis, who had only now begun to dry out, "Anubis, looks like you've had better days."

"Quiet, Ronin," He glared and wrung his hair out again.

"Ancient One, tell me, why is it that you are here, and why do you bring these four with you?" Kayura asked as they began to head to the Dynasty capital, "With such strange armors? And Mia wears mine."

"Anubis' new life is in danger," the Ancient began, "The Netherspirits have taken his body and are trying to kill him through the link that he still carries with it."

"But we buried Anubis…" Cale began, "His body lies within the palace tombs."

"One body was imprisoned by Talpa in the Tower created for his funeral barge, one body died breaking Badamon's hold on Kayura," The Ancient spoke softly, "The remnant of the Netherspirits has taken the first. You have buried the second."

"Let's just hope that the third time is the charm," Sage said off-handedly.

"What? That I die the third time and stay dead?" Anubis demanded.

"No, that you stay alive this time with immortality," The Ronin of Halo recovered gracefully.

"How could they have taken that body without us knowing?" Kayura asked, "How could we have known that a remnant still existed?"

"That is still a mystery," The Ancient thought, "Perhaps the only Netherspirits that survived were the ones that guarded Anubis' tower. When he did not destroy it, as the rest of you did yours, they could have stolen his body and begun their revenge."

"But they have no hold on us, for we are all new and pure after our rebirths," Dais offered, "How is it then that they can harm him?"

"I have much to atone for," Anubis said quietly, leaning onto the side of the barge, "Perhaps it is my past sins that have…"

Suddenly, he remembered something from many, many years ago, something he never would have recalled unless fate had sprung open the bottle in his mind.

__

"I curse you, Anubis!" The old man cried, throwing the satchel of sparkling particles at him with whatever strength remained in his body, "When you regain your soul and mind, you shall not have peace! You will forever suffer for what you have done here!"

"Shut up, old man. You bore me," Anubis grinned wickedly and swept the dust off his armor, "I am not here for you. I have come to challenge the one called Dais, the Lord of the Spiders, not an old man with a bag of sand."

"May you never forget the evil you have caused! May your soul never rest, even when you lie in your grave! Even after you have repented, may you never be able to make amends for this evil, this treachery! You shall live with this pain forever, and it will grow, with each anniversary of each great death that you have caused!"

Anubis bored quickly of the man's prophecy and killed him swiftly. Then, he continued on his search for the man called Dais.

"No…no…it can't be…" Anubis gripped the railing so hard that it began to compress under his strength.

"Anubis," Dais demanded.

"What's wrong with him?" Sage asked.

"He's remembering…" Kayura shushed them.

Anubis' face was a mask of purest fear and despair. His eyes were dull, yet fiery with what flashed through his mind. He remembered…

Only a few grains of that dust had touched his skin, his face uncovered by the mask of the Ogre. But those few granules had burned as surely as embers from a flaming inferno.

"That old man…" Anubis spun, "It is not the Netherspirits! It is a curse, laid on me by a man I killed while searching for Dais!"

"What?" "Who—" "What do you mean?" came the chorus. Only the Ancient listened intently.

"Listen to me," Anubis begged with sincerity never before heard in his voice, except when was begging for his friend's lives. He told them of what the man had said, and what he had cursed him with.

"Anubis, did these grains of sand leave scars?" The Ancient asked.

"I—I do not know," He tipped his head, "Why do you ask?"

"Anything could help us save your life," The Ancient One said. 

"I never noticed if they did," His hand rose to his face, "It was here, on my face, where the Mask of the Ogre did not cover."

Kayura stepped forward and gazed carefully at the skin that Anubis had revealed on his cheek, "Yes…there are three small specks, hardly noticeable."

"Three scars…for the three other Warlords," Sage said quietly.

"What do we do, Ancient?" Kayura asked as they passed under the bridge into the Dynasty heart.

"It is my punishment," Anubis said quietly, "Let it come."

"Why do you speak of such things, Anubis?" Dais snapped.

"Yes, I thought you had more backbone than this!" Sekhmet chimed in.

"Don't you see? Today is the day that I killed your father, Cale, the leader of your clan," Anubis said, "An important death, as the old man said. No matter what we do, that pain will come, no matter how hard I fight."

His head sagged, "And tomorrow, Cale, is the day I killed you."

"I remember quite vividly," The Warlord of Darkness said softly, "It was just before the sun fell that my father died with your kasuri-gama chain around his throat. I swore that I would kill you for that."

"Enough talk of death and killing," Kayura stepped in, "We should all be rejoicing, for Anubis, the man who brought Truth to all of our eyes, is alive, once again! Let this curse come, for it cannot stand against the spirits of those who care and love for one another!"

"She's right," Sage stepped up, "We need determination! We need to be able to face this curse, no matter what it might cost us all! Anubis gave his life for us once—twice—and I say that we owe him the same honor!"

Anubis' determined spirit suddenly flared, and his armor grew and returned to the state that it was when first given to him by the Ancient. It seemed to glisten in the Dynasty light as his eyes flared with a new life.

"I have been a fool," Anubis declared, "I have allowed this to overtake me, though I know that I have been forgiven my past sins against you all. I apologize for my weak-heartedness. But I cannot defeat this enemy without the help of my friends."

"I'm in!" Sage stuck his hand out.

"I wouldn't miss it for the world," Kayura placed her hand over Sage's.

"The Dynasty is no fun without you around, Anubis," Cale placed his hand over theirs, "Patrol is boring to the verge of tears."

"I have no one to gripe with when Dais goes on one of his power-trips," Sekhmet placed his hand on the pile, meeting Dais' glare with a serpentine smile.

"No one is there to stand by the French doors and watch for the Dynasty," Mia said softly, adding her vote.

Cale walked over and looked dubiously at the collection of hands, "I cannot say that I have missed you, Anubis—"

"Liar," Dais said with a snap.

"Come clean, Cale," Sekhmet smiled knowingly.

"All right," The Warlord of Darkness held up his hands, "I miss our arguments that we always had over who was stronger. I miss our sparring matches that always seemed to end up as a death match."

He placed his hand upon Mia's, "But, I swear to God, if any of you all so much as whispers a word of this beyond this boat—"

Anubis walked over and rested his hand upon Cale's, "Thank you all. I will need everyone's help. This I know—"

There was a roar and Anubis was knocked flat onto the ground, Whiteblaze licking his face. The Warlord sputtered and tried to get away. The others all broke the circle and laughed heartily as the Warlord's dilemma.

Cale looked up at the sky and turned pale, "Kayura…Ancient One…"

"Cale, what is wrong?" The Ancient One stood beside him.

"The sun…it is setting…" His eyes flashed to Anubis, who was just getting to his feet, "The time of the death of my father is near…"

Anubis shook his head, "I feel nothing."

A few minutes passed in silence. The barge docked, yet no one moved. Soon, the suns had set and they saw only by the lights of the moons.

"Nothing happened," Anubis clenched his teeth, "Perhaps we have the wrong day, the wrong time."

"I do not know, but I am relieved that nothing has happened," The Ancient stole a wary glance at Anubis, "It may mean that the curse has not fully taken effect. That may make it easier for us to find the source and defeat it."

"Come, all," Kayura led them off the ship, "We shall eat well tonight, and sleep even better. The freed spirits of those imprisoned in the armors of Talpa's armies of demon warrior have been released and are proud subjects of the Dynasty now!"

"You mean, every armor that we fought…was a person?" Sage seemed to turn a light shade of green.

"Captured spirits of those who lived in the Dynasty before Talpa's evil reign," The Lady smiled, "They have named the Warlords and I protectors and rulers of the Nether-realms." 

"Come, we shall return to this in the morning," Dais said, helping Mia off the ship. 


	5. Darkness Of Revenge

Season Three – Darkness of Revenge – Episode Five

Mia ran.

"Kayura! Ancient! Come quickly!" She cried, "A mirror has opened! Anubis, he—"

Cale was instantly by her side, in full armor. He leapt forward, the other warlords following, too, in full armor. Sage followed closely, a no-datchi similar to his old clasped in his hands.

Suddenly, Cale came to a screeching halt, right before he slammed into Anubis, "What is wrong with you, man!"

The Warlord was standing, staring in horror at the window that opened in space before him. Inside, he watched a battle relived. Cale and Anubis circled each other, Anubis dressed in the Armor of Cruelty, and Cale armored in the samurai style.

They watched history relived.

"Cale! Get Anubis away from the mirror!" The Ancient cried, "It may be that which will kill him!" 

Cale took a hold of Anubis' arm, but the man did not move. He was transfixed by what he saw.

The Warlord of Darkness landed a hard punch on the red-brown haired man's jaw, effectively dazing him into unconsciousness. Sekhmet and Dais helped drag him away from the mirror.

Cale released him to the care of the others and turned back to the window. He saw history…but it was not as he remembered it. Anubis did not attack in the vision he beheld. He could hear the cries of the men as they fought.

"Cale, stop! I will not fight you!"

"You killed my father, you vile creature!"

"It was not me, but a demon in my stead! I see the ends of this battle, Cale!"

"As do I! Your death at my hands, Champion of Evil!"

"Talpa will enslave you! Your spirit will be in torment!"

"I care nothing for your lord, demon! I care only for your death!"

With one final cry of anger, in the vision, Cale charged. In real history, Anubis had neatly sidestepped this, and brought the blunt end of his kasuri-gama down into Cale's back, then pinned him.

Not now.

Anubis stood, unmoving. The kasuri-gama fell to the ground.

"No!" Sage cried, realizing what was happening in this mirror.

Cale's sword was thrust forward with all the strength that the warrior could muster. He held the Champion of Evil on his blade, and they stood, shoulder to shoulder, facing opposite directions.

For a second, no one moved.

Then a thin trickle of blood began to seep from Anubis' lips. It turned into a steady stream, and traced a bright, blood red line from the corner of the man's mouth to the collar of his armor.

"Now, you die, Champion," the old Cale said mockingly, and he twisted the sword in anger.

Anubis trembled with Cale's force, and his hand came up for purchase on the man's shoulder. He tried to gain some sort of grip, something that would allow him to keep his footing.

Cale shrugged him away and withdrew his sword, letting the Warlord of Cruelty to fall to his knees in pain, his metal-gloved hand pressed against the wound in his stomach.

Talpa's voice came from the sky.

"Anubis, I am disappointed in you," The voice thundered, "I would have thought that you could have defeated such a incompetent young warrior."

"I will not be your tool…"

The real Cale dove forward in anger, driving his fist into the mirror, shattering it. He spun and ran back into the palace, where Anubis lay on the ground, surrounded by the others. 

There was blood on the floor…so much blood…

"He will live," The Ancient announced, after stepping out of the Warlord's room, where Anubis lay, his shirt gone, his stomach wrapped in layer upon layer of tightly wound bandage, "It is fortunate that you shattered the mirror when you did, Cale, else the vision would have claimed his life."

"I could have let him die, but I didn't," Cale seemed to come to a realization, "I did not let the man I hated most die! I feel new somehow."

"As you should," The Ancient rested his hand on Cale's shoulder, "A Greater Power has given your friendship with Anubis a new chance at blooming. Perhaps now you will become the true friend that you were meant to be."

"What happens next?" Mia asked, "Do we wait for the next day? What then?"

"Perhaps another mirror will appear, showing a vision of Anubis' fight against Sekhmet or Dais," The Ancient offered, shaking his head, "I have not the sight that I once had, for I am no longer the holder of the Staff of Ancients. All I know is conjecture, which is why I was so far wrong about the cause of this entire predicament."

"Would you take the Staff back, Ancient One?" Kayura asked, her fingers tracing the staff's length.

"I would, but it is yours now, Kayura."

She shook her head, "I would be happier with the Star Swords in my hands again. Now that you live once more, I can return to that which I once was, only with freedom in Talpa's stead."

"If that is your wish, then yes, I would take back the Staff," He sighed, "But if I do so, then I cannot directly tell you what is happening. All I can give you is riddles and whatever revelations are given to me."

"I would like that better than all this guesswork," Sage grumbled.

When the Ancient took the Staff from Kayura, there was a wind that swept through the room. The Ancient's business suit changed back into his monk's robes, and Kayura's kimono transformed into her old armor, that which she wore upon the first meeting of her and the Ronin Warriors.

"Now, we shall discover what will happen to our friend," The Ancient looked back at the still form of Anubis, "His wounds should heal soon, but I fear a new attack. Sekhmet, Dais, when is the day that Anubis first attacked you?"

"On the eve of a midsummer's day," Dais said huskily, "Only eighteen days away."

"And you, Sekhmet?"

The green haired man tried to think, tried to wrack his brain for the information he so desperately needed, but if was no use. He could not remember, and he said as much, "I know nothing of that day. The date never mattered to me until now."

"So we have a day floating out there that could kill him, and we don't know where the mirror will surface, we don't know when," Sage sighed and leaned back against the wall, "How are we supposed to know where the next one will show up?"

"That is something that you can help us with, Halo," The Ancient's voice had regained its reverberation.

"Me?"

He nodded, "Yes, you. Your armor was very sensitive to the spiritual. You could sense the arrival of a mirror."

"Wait a second," Mia jumped in, "We're just guessing. What if the days are not just the Warlords' defeats? What if there are other days, like Talpa's death?"

"He had…died…by the time that we defeated Talpa," Dais said, "What other dates could mean as much that still included him?"

"I do not know," The Ancient admitted, "His father was not killed by his hand. The only milestones in his career were your defeats and figurative deaths."

"What about Kayura?"

The Ancient pondered that offering, "Possibly. It is very possible…"


	6. Come Into My Parlor

Season Three – Come Into My Parlor – Episode Six

The next attack came far too quickly.

The suns shone brightly in the Dynasty, bathing the formerly dark and dungy world in a blanket of beauty and light. The Warlords, Mia, Whiteblaze, Sage, and the Ancient all sat inside a open-air gazebo, on which vines and flowers grew gracefully 

It was a midsummer's night's eve. While everyone, including a still sore Anubis, watched, Sage reached out, trying to discover the location of the newest mirror.

All those that had armor wore their subarmors. Sage had recovered his upon his first step into the world, and, in a bag in his room, he held the other Ronins' crystals, waiting to be returned to their masters.

As Sage meditated, reaching out, each armor orb glowed, showing their virtues.

Justice…

Trust…

Benevolence…

Life…

One by one, as their eyes were closed, kanji appeared on each person's forehead.

Piety…

Serenity…

Loyalty…

Obedience…

Mia's forehead glowed with Intelligence…

The Ancient's shone with Selflessness…

Whiteblaze's forehead radiated Bravery…

They waited, and waited…and waited…

Nothing.

Cale began to grow restless. He stood and began to pace outside, on the pagoda-like gazebo's porch, nervous and angry. He did not like to wait, to depend on something that he did not know if it would really work. His kanji still glowed on his forehead.

Sekhmet looked at the Ancient, expectantly. Surely his staff could discover the mirror. The rings had never come to life while Kayura held it. But now, as he watched he could have sworn that he saw the still rings tremble.

Then…

There was the faintest shimmer of movement…

All of a sudden, they leapt to life.

__

Clang-clang. Clang-clang. Clang-clang…

Sage's eyes flew open, "There! On the walkway to Kayura's chambers!"

Dais leapt from his seat and flew from the room. Cale and Sekhmet followed closely, as well as Whiteblaze. Sage buried his face in his hands and groaned. Mia knelt by him.

"What is it?"

" Something I didn't need to see…"

"Like?"

"I saw Anubis kill Dais' sons…three of them, all white haired like their father," He shuddered, "Three quick swipes…they died no warrior's death. They were out in a field, playing. The oldest was holding a ball, the youngest…"

"What happened?" Mia prodded,

"The youngest was trying to get it from him. When he finally gave it to him, the other oldest…the two were twins…looked up, hearing something…"

"Then…?"

"Anubis."

Dais was the first to reach the mirror.

It shimmered with an unearthly purple-green light, the edges feathering into the air. It held images of time long past, of things that he did not want to see, ever again…

He pulled his fist back to crush it, but he could not. Something seemed to transfix him, memories of the past…

"Dais! Do not hesitate!" Cale brought his fist down on the mirror…

…his attack bounced back, harmlessly.

"Dais, you must destroy it!" Sekhmet cried, "Do it now!"

"Anubis will die!"

But Dais was too busy listening to the words of the fighting men. He watched, petrified, as Anubis danced out of the way of Dais' katanas.

"Dais, you fool! Do not fight me! This battle is a farce!"

"Like it was when you took my three sons' lives from me?"

"I was under Talpa's control! He is the true Lord of Darkness and Evil!"

"Why should I fear him when you are his right hand!"

"You would become his buffoon, a toy, no, a tool, useful for nothing but achieving his ends!"

"I would welcome it freely if it would mean the death of you!"

"At the completion, you will be tossed away like so much rubbish, leaving only your armor behind!"

__

Dais' sword faltered.

"How do you know about my armor?"

"How else are you to be called the Lord of the Spiders?"

"Lying, cheating, stealing fool!"

"No, Dais, no!"

Dais' katana flashed, and Anubis knocked it from his hand, leaving him with one. Suddenly, there was one till in his hand and that sped for his throat.

It was an illusion.

The real katana sped for Anubis' heart…

He dodged, just in time, but the blade slid through his shoulder…

__

"Dais!"

The real Dais snapped out of his trance and shattered the mirror without hesitation. He looked at the shattered pieces with something akin to fear in his eyes, "I hope…I pray…Sekhmet…that you have better luck than I did…at resisting the mirror."

"I pray that I do as well…"

As soon as the mirror was shattered, all the kanji flared brightly, then retreated.

Anubis groaned in pain as he felt the blade slash again. His hand came away from his shoulder with blood, but this wound was no where near as life-threatening the injury received earlier. It was a mere flesh wound, an annoyance, hardly painful, yet a hindrance.

The blade had passed through the muscle in his shoulder. Even as they watched, it had already begun to heal.

There was no threat.

Dais had done his job and had defeated the mirror and his own hatred to Anubis, exactly like Cale. 

The Three Warlords burst back into the room. Whiteblaze roared in greeting and disappointment that they had even allowed his old master to be hurt in the first place.

"I tried to destroy it for him, but my attack bounced away," Cale growled.

"The mirror represents what Anubis would do now, if given the chance to do it over," The Ancient said, revealing what his Staff and mind had told him, "The act of you destroying the mirror is an outward show that you truly have forgiven Anubis for his past treacheries against you."

"So that is why it was so hard for me to destroy it," Dais sighed, "I waited too long, I waited until Anubis had gotten hurt. His cry of pain awoke me to what was happening, and I realized something."

"What?" Mia asked.

"I realized that it is all so very far in the past now, and nothing can be changed but my responses for the rest of my life," He sighed, "I, too, caused Anubis pain for the death of my sons."

"I learned that it is not my place to give and take life, for such a judgement is not mine to make," Cale grumbled, "When I saw my old self kill him, the new him, I knew, then and there, that I would never be able to deal out death and judgement again."

"I am glad for these lessons," Anubis said from where he sat, propped up against the wall, with Sage bandaging his shoulder, "But, next time…if there is a next time…please, honor me by doing one thing."

"Yes, Anubis."

"Anything," Cale agreed.

Anubis groaned.

"Learn the lessons a little faster, please?" He smirked flippantly, "I do not want to be carved up like some wild boar just so you can learn the secrets to your deepest selves."

Sage was the first to burst out laughing, mostly in complete surprise. The others joined in, out of utter confusion and stunned amazement.

Unknown to them all, another mirror began to shimmer into existence, so very near…


	7. Poison Of The Heart

Season Three – Poison of the Heart – Episode Seven

Days passed…

Yuli and the other Ronins came through the Gate guarded by Sahé. Cye had been the first to pass through, then Rowen, Yuli, Kento, and finally, last, Ryo. 

The others passed through, but Ryo hesitated.

"Hurry, Wildfire," Sahé said quietly, "The water will not hurt you. Come, time runs short for me."

He stepped through quickly, the turtles under his feet kindly keeping up.

The familiar feel of metal met them all over their bodies.

"Our armor," Rowen looked at his metal-gloved hands.

"Yeah, I wonder what all this is about…" Ryo looked around. They had been dropped off in the palace's back yard, where the last few stones that remained of the Tower of Pain stood as a grim reminder of what could happen as a result of greed.

"Ryo, guys! Over here!" Sage called from the other side of the desert-backyard-turned-paradise-garden. He looked different, perhaps from spending time in the Dynasty without the others there. He wore his armor as well.

"Sage!" Cye waved and they all ran to meet him.

"I was wondering if you would ever get here!" He exclaimed, grasping Cye's hand, "So much has happened that you should know!"

"Mia!" Yuli broke away from their group and fairly tackled the woman, who was dressed in a sort of short kimono. Anubis stood beside her, wearing a long-sleeved button-up maroon shirt and jeans. Underneath, they could see his dark and navy blue subarmor.

"Hey, Anubis!" Kento waved.

The Warlord waved back, seemingly distracted. Yuli wrapped his arms around the warlord's stomach and buried his face in his shirt.

"Oh, Anubis, we were really worried about you, weren't we, Ryo?" Yuli said as the Ronins approached them, "We thought you were dead or something."

"Sorry to disappoint you, young one," He smiled slightly and picked the boy up, swinging him around into a piggy-back ride, "I still live, though I am very sore from the injuries…"

Ryo and the others listened while Mia and Anubis explained everything that had happened, from the mirror attacks to the forgiveness received from Cale and Dais.

"Only Sekhmet still has to shatter his mirror, but it has not surfaced yet," Mia said, her voice tinged with happiness that they were all together again, "Kayura gave me a gift yesterday, something I wanted to wait until you all arrived to show."

"A gift? From Kayura?" Rowen crossed his arms.

Mia removed her short kimono.

Underneath, she wore Kayura's Armor of the StarCry. On her back were the two Star Swords that had been such a bane for the Ronins in times before.

"I have armor now, as well," She looked at Anubis, "Anubis has been teaching me how to fight, as have the other Warlords."

"That—That's so cool!" Kento stepped forward and grabbed her around the waist, spinning her in the air, "Now we don't ever have to leave you behind! You can come with us wherever we go!"

"That is cool," Ryo agreed. Mia pulled away from Kento and hugged him. It was so out-of-the-blue that he was surprised for a second.

Anubis laughed at the look on Ryo's face, Rowen snickered, and Cye just chuckled.

Anubis' face went pale and he went silent.

"Oh no," Sage closed his eyes and reached out. Everyone's kanji flared into existence as an almost visible pulse of energy flowed through all their bodies.

"Did you find it?" Anubis asked, his voice low.

"There's nothing here…"

Sekhmet stood in front of the mirror, his hate for Anubis flowing through his veins like the blood that sustained him. He had hidden his anger and hate for the man for all these years. Why should he care if he died?

The bastard had been the death of his entire family. He had lured his friends into becoming tools for Talpa. He had been the one to slaughter so many innocent lives in battle…

He had been the one that his wife had loved.

His wife, the beautiful Hathor, the ever kind, ever gentle, had loved Sekhmet with all of her soul. But, when she first laid eyes on the Anubis, standing in the center of a field, injured after a duel, she had felt something…different…dangerous…

She had gone to the same place that she had seen him first, always hoping that he would be there. Sekhmet know, of course, what she was doing, but he tried not to believe it.

She was the only relative of the Warlords that had survived through their initiations…

In this mirror, she watched in horror as Sekhmet called on his Armor, attacking Anubis without mercy. The new Anubis had realized what was happening and fought back, always going for a disabling strike, trying to get him down…

But Sekhmet was going for his throat. 

He stood in front of this mirror…his mirror…hidden deep inside the palace. He wanted to show Anubis his fate, show him how he would kill him.

Suddenly, he shuddered.

__

Sekhmet, what are you doing? You owe him your life…

Still, he let the battle in the mirror continue.

"Sekhmet…please…"

He stood over him in defiance, his blade at his throat.

"You have lost, champion of evil…"

He hesitated…

"But I will not hurt you. I know how the mind can be taken over by lust for power or love," He looked pointedly at his wife, who looked ashamed, "And I also know how it can be freed."

The present-Sekhmet stared. He felt the hate that he had created for himself melt away. He didn't hate Anubis for all those deaths. He hated the evil, the greed, the lust…he did not want Anubis to die.

He did not want anyone to die.

But even as he watched the mirror, he saw a small drop of poison over on the tip of his sword. He leapt forward, pressing his hands against the mirror. 

That poison could kill Anubis…

He saw the droplet fall.

The mirror shattered under the force of his strike. All he could do now is pray that the poison had not reached Anubis' skin.

Anubis groaned and clutched at the junction of his neck and shoulder. Pinkish vapor was rising between his fingers, but they all knew, from the sudden flare of their kanji, that the mirror was shattered, wherever it was.

"Sekhmet's poison…" Mia gasped and took her kimono. Anubis removed his hand, revealing a burn. Mia sighed in relief, "It barely grazed you, and it did not touch any cuts. It's over."

She laughed, and Anubis took her hand.

"Yes, It is," He sighed, then fell back to sit on the ground. The others joined him in sitting, and they all laughed.

They laughed…

Sekhmet looked at the picture of his beloved wife, holding her favorite cat in her arms. Actually, it was a kitten, a little ball of fur that had two eyes, a nose, and a tail sticking out of the poof of fluff.

He raised his hand to trace the gentle line of her cheek. He knew that she had lived, and had borne their son. He only wished that he knew what had become of her after he became a Warlord…

He remembered, before he had been taken away, she had run after him, crying, begging him to forgive her.

"I forgive you," He whispered, a tear falling onto the picture, "I forgive you…"


	8. Truth At Home

Season Three – Truth At Home – Episode Eight

__

Two Weeks Later…

"Mia!"

Anubis dove forward, catching the woman's falling form, just seconds before she hit the ground, "What—what's wrong with you? You could have been killed!"

"I—I'm sorry, I just…" She looked up at the roof, "I thought I saw something up there."

Anubis sighed. Ever since the Ancient resurrected him, his life had been a pure mess. He lived in Mia's enormous house now, after the Koji woman had decided to add on what amounted to a whole other home.

"I'll go check on it," He blew a stray piece of hair out of his face as he set her down, "You stay on solid ground, all right? I do not want you to be hurt."

She turned red and grinned, "Is that a command, oh great warrior?"

"You try my patience, woman," He could not hide his smile.

"Well, get going!" She pushed him towards the long ladder, "It might be a kitten or something, trapped up on the shingles, all scared and…"

"I understand the point you are trying to make, Mia," He grimaced, "I'll be back down in a minute."

Mia held the ladder while Anubis climbed nimbly. She had to admit, in his tight, long-sleeved maroon shirt and loose jeans, the Warlord did not look like a man who had fought for evil, then had been killed saving the world.

He looked pretty good to her, actually.

__

Really good…

"Mia, there is nothing up here," He called down after a few minutes had passed.

Mia set her hands on her hips, "Well, I saw it! It was small, fast, and mostly white! It had long ears too!"

"You believe that you saw a rabbit on your roof?" He leaned over the edge.

"No! I don't know what it was," She admitted.

"I'll check one more time," He disappeared back over the top.

__

Mia, you idiot, stop daydreaming! She nearly slapped herself on the face, "Do you want me to come up and help you look?"

"If you do, be very careful! The surface is still slippery from this morning's dew!" He called, sounding so far away.

Mia was halfway up the ladder when Ryo came walking out on the balcony of the second story and looked at her, eye to eye. She looked back, as if nothing were out of the ordinary.

"Um, hey, Mia?" He crossed his arms over his red t-shirt.

"Yes, Ryo?" She answered sweetly.

"What are you—never mind."

As he walked back into the house, she continued climbing up the ladder. Her fingers had just brushed the last rung when there was a loud, female squeal from the other side of the roof, and a very male voice followed it with a Dynasty curse.

"Lemmegolemmegolemmegolemmegolemmego!" The high-pitched voice cried, and there was another curse.

"Stop biting me, you ungrateful creature!" Anubis snapped, "I'm not going to hurt you! I'm just going to get you off the roof!"

"Oh," The little voice paused, then responded brightly, "All right! Sorry about the biting…"

"Happens all the time…"

"Really?"

"Cale's hateful jackals," Anubis came over the rise of the roof just as Mia climbed up onto the shingles, "Mia, I have found your little mischief-maker."

Mia gaped in amazement at the small, rabbit-eared creature that Anubis held gently in his hands. It looked like a half-rabbit, half-tiny human with long white fur covering her entire body.

"What is she?"

"A pixie-rabbit," He looked down, "They are fairly rare, even in the Dynasty. This is only the second time that I have seen one in over a thousand years."

"What do we do with her?"

"Carry her off the roof and let her go, as soon as we can," Anubis bit his lip, "They don't like it spoken aloud, but seeing a pixie-rabbit is an omen of bad luck yet to come."

"Am not!" The little creature squeaked.

"Here, Mia, head down to the ground, and I will carry the little one with me," He commanded softly. She nodded and scurried quickly down the ladder. Anubis set the little creature on his neck, between his shoulders, and slid down the ladder, the insteps of his feet guiding him down, and his hands like a blur on the rungs.

"Wow," She said, in genuine amazement. She reached out for the pixie-rabbit, "I'll just release the little thing…"

"No, Mia, you mustn't touch it!" When he spun, the little being jumped off his back and scurried into the woods and disappeared. His movement had startled the creature so much that her hind legs left two sets of four furrows across the back of his neck.

"Now, what was all that?" Mia demanded.

"Their bite has a great venom," He admitted.

"Why did you even touch it then?" She asked.

He looked confused, "I have, over the years, become immune to their bite and the bite of many other creatures. Even Sekhmet's snakes and Dais' spiders. What else could I have done? Left it on the roof for the birds of prey to feast on?"

"No, you could have used…your…shirt…" Her voice trailed off as she realized what she was saying. Her face turned bright red, "Never mind. You did a good deed."

He sighed, "Only one of many I must do if I am ever to repay the debt of life I owe this world."

"Don't beat yourself up, Anubis," She touched his arm. His very muscular arm, "You atoned for much when you helped us save the world…when you gave your life to save the mortal realm and Lady Kayura."

Anubis smiled at her and took both her hands in his, "Thank you, Mia. Your trust in me and my honor is refreshing, to say the least."

"I—" She stumbled over her words until she looked back up at the roof, "Oh, sugar. I left my jacket up there…"

"I'll get it," He offered and released her hands. He climbed up the ladder as nimble as before. Her pink jacket was hanging on the gable of one of the windows. He reached out for it…

His foot hit a patch of wet, and he went down.

"Anubis!" Mia cried.

"I'm all right!" He called back, hanging from the roof's edge by his fingertips, "Here. Catch your jacket. It's coming down!"

She scrambled to catch her jacket, then looked back up at him, "Oh, Anubis! Do you need the ladder?"

"No, I will be fine," He pulled himself back up onto the rooftop and wiped his pants off, "See? Nothing wrong, just a little slip here…"

"What's wrong?"

"I just tested the shingles. They are as dry and as gripping as the rest of the roof," He called down, confusion in his voice, "I don't understand…"

"The pixie-rabbit…" Mia whispered to herself, then called up to him, "Anubis, come down now! That little creature's venom is making you tipsy! You could fall and hurt yourself!"

"Mia, I told you, I have an immunity," He said as he began to climb down the ladder, slowly, rung by rung.

"You believe in curses?"

"Yes…I suppose, why?"

"There you go, ogre-boy," She stood with her hands on her hips when his feet touched solid ground, "Now, tell me that little slip up there was an accident."

"It was an accident."

She glared at him, and he only smiled, "You delight in torturing me, don't you, Anubis?"

"No, I do not," He chuckled, "I only laugh at your ability to believe in such things of obvious myth."

"Laugh all you want," She grumbled, "I know what I saw. Let's go back inside. It's almost dinnertime, and it is cold out here."

Autumn was lasting for an unusually long time this year, but it did not bother Anubis as much as it did Mia. He withstood the cold easily.

Dinner was a quiet time for the occupants of the house. Rowen was still at the university, studying up on the Ronin Armors. He was searching for a way to revive them fully, instead of just the subarmors, for use in everyday life, so the Ronins could become sort of crime fighters.

Kento was visiting his family's restaurant in Little China in downtown Tokyo, and he would not be home for a night or two. So Mia, Ryo, Sage, Anubis, and Cye were the only ones in the enormously large house.

"Mia…" Cye called from the kitchen, "Can you come here? There's something strange happening outside…"

"What?" Everyone leapt from their chairs at the table and rushed to the window. Outside, large white-gray clouds had gathered, and little white flakes of heaven began to fall.

Cye walked up to them, smiling. He knew that Mia loved the snow…

"Oh! Oh, guys! It—It's snowing! It's snowing!" She wrapped her arms around Ryo's neck and gave hi ma big hug, "Now it really feels like winter!"

Ryo grinned, "Sledding!"

Cye smirked, "Ice-skating."

"Snowball fights."

All eyes went to Sage, who shrugged innocently. Mia laughed.

"What about you, Anubis? What are you looking forward to?" Ryo asked, leaning against the window.

"Yeah, Anubis, tell us!" Cye prodded.

"I—" He looked out wonderingly at the snow, which was falling quite heavily by now, "We do not have snow in the Dynasty. Last time I saw snow, I cursed it for blocking a pass my army needed to use…"

Mia and the others saw a faraway look begin in his eyes. He was remembering his life before Talpa, how it had been as a young, vibrant warrior with an army behind him and a world before him.

"You must have done something for fun in the snow so long ago," Sage said, leaning against the dinner table.

"Yes…" His voice was soft, "My brothers and I…we used to stand at the top of a little cliff and jump into the drifts. Some times we would fall so deep that we would have to swim our way out."

The snow swirled outside.

"Once, Bes, my youngest brother, fell so deep that he could not get out on his own," Anubis sighed, "I and Rephshet, the second oldest to me, dove in to save him. It took us an hour to pull him from the snow…"

"What happened?" Mia asked gently.

Anubis shook his head, "He just wanted to go back to the top and try it again!"

Everyone laughed, and it felt good to have the somber mood broken. Mia clapped her hands together and turned to Cye, "Is the food ready?"

His eyes widened and he ran into the kitchen. Soon, everyone was sitting down to a wonderful dinner of roast chicken chow mien, stuffing, and Cye's special egg rolls. After dinner was finished, and all the plates cleared, they sat, talking of everything and anything.

Suddenly, Cye noticed a distant look in Mia's eyes, "Mia, penny for your thoughts."

"I wonder why it's taking Rowen so long to get back from the university," She sighed, "He said that he would be back an hour ago. I hope the roads aren't too bad."

"Visibility would be down in such a storm as this," Anubis said, taking a short sip of his tea, "And, since we are so far on back roads, it may be impossible for him to get this far."

"Hey, Anubis, you aren't exactly helping," Ryo said, his voice slightly sarcastic.

"I only speak the truth."

They spent a large portion of the rest of the night, sitting in the new greenhouse that Mia had gotten built, watching the snow fall and speaking of many things.

Anubis eventually stood and stretched, "Well, this has been a terribly delightful evening, but I believe that it is time for us to all go to bed."

Sage walked back into the room from checking the weather channel on the radio, "We've got bad news. All roads out of Toyama have been shut down, as well as most of the surrounding countryside. This storm is wreaking havoc on transportation and communication."

"What about Rowen?"

"I'm going to look for him," Sage already had his parka and windbreaker pants on over his green sweater, white button-up shirt, and jeans, "The neighbors might let us borrow their snowmobiles."

"How do you know that he is not still at the university?" Anubis asked.

"I got a call on my cell phone from the Dean," Sage held up the small device, "He's worried too."

"Then let's get going," Ryo dashed out of the room. Cye jumped to his feet.

"Wait for me!"

Mia looked at Sage as Anubis left the room as well, "You—you have your armor and everything?"

"Yeah, Mia, we'll be fine. If Rowen is out there, we'll find him," He smiled at her as she took the scarf from his hand and wrapped it around his neck.

"Well, be safe then," She sighed and sank back into the couch as he walked out, already dialing his cell phone to call the neighbors.


	9. Snowbound

Season Three – Snowbound – Episode Nine

The snow was falling thickly by the time Sage, Ryo, Cye, and Anubis left the house. It was knee-deep when they reached the Yurigatchi family home. Sage had called Ken, the father, a few minutes ago through static and breaks.

He had agreed readily, and had even offered to allow them to use their glide-plane, but Sage had refused politely, saying that he expected to find him quickly.

Now, as they stood in the entryway of their home, Yurigatchi Maria, a Spanish woman married into the Japanese family, was muttering to herself in her native language, handing each of them backpacks filled with survival kits.

"Master Yurigatchi, please tell your wife that we are very thankful for her help," Ryo said, bowing to Yurigatchi Ken.

"I will, Date-san," He bowed to the four men, who looked like rescue workers, "Be careful out there. There are two-way radios in each pack. They were always required in my stay in the Mexican Army."

"You were in the Mexican Army, otou-san?" Cye asked respectfully, addressing him in a slightly more formal way, as 'someone else's father.'

"Yes, Mouri-san," He smiled widely and hugged his wife to his side, "It is there that I met Maria. Once done, my family and I returned here, to Japan, to live out our lives. But I have always anticipated an emergency."

"Like the strange happenings in Toyama a few months ago?" Anubis asked quietly.

Yurigatchi-san nodded, "But you should go now. The snow is getting worse and deeper even as we wait."

"_Cuidado, mi niños,_" Maria-san called out after them as she held the door against the pounding wind. The four men trudged through the snow, following Ken-san as he led them to the shed.

"What did she say?" Ryo had to yell to be heard over the storm.

"She said, 'Careful, my young boys.' Makes you glad someone cares," Sage responded as Master Yurigatchi nodded with pride at his translation. The older man and Anubis grabbed hold of the door and pulled.

It slowly creaked open, revealing five snowmobiles in fairly good condition. Ken-san handed out the keys quickly.

"Thank you again, Master Yurigatchi," Sage said quickly as they each checked the gas, oil, and other important features of the snowmobiles. They started them up and pulled them out in to the snow. They purred like Whiteblaze on a good day.

"_De nada, señor Date. Cuidado,_" He called to them as he closed the shed door and ran to the house.

"What?" Ryo called, then realized he didn't have to. Inside the helmets that they all wore, a military headset was mounted.

"He said, 'No problem, mister Date. Careful.'" Anubis broke in. His snowmobile revved quickly, "This will be an experience that I am not likely to forget."

"You have no idea, Anubis," Cye said over the headset, "Let's go. Rowen could be freezing right now."

"Boys, this is Ken. Can you hear me? Over."

"Yes, sir, loud and clear," Ryo responded.

"Good. Be careful, boys. Weatherman just spotted another powerful front moving to meet this one. It is going to be a very rough and tumble ride."

"_El Niño_ strikes again," Cye muttered.

There came a laugh, "All too true, Cye-san."

"Let's go, guys," Ryo said out loud. The snowmobiles had to struggle to get atop the snow, but once they did, even Anubis did not have a problem controlling them.

The four men sped back out onto the main road, then headed towards Toyama, hoping to find Rowen there, or perhaps on the road to there.

What they found was a blanket sheet of snow that blocked their sight past one hundred feet. Even their headlights were making it difficult to see in this pitch-blackness of night.

"Maybe this wasn't such a hot idea," Ryo grumbled.

"Rowen working late tonight wasn't such a hot idea either, but, hey, we've got to get him out of it," Sage responded, "Master Yurigatchi, is there anything new on the weather?"

Nothing.

"We must be too far away," Anubis said from where he drove on the far right side, "The snow must be interfering with the transmission."

"Great!" Cye said brightly.

"How is that great?" Ryo demanded.

"No, I mean…oh, just look ahead! It's Rowen's car!" Cye pointed from where he was, in line next to Anubis. It was strange hearing his voice in your ear, then seeing him point so far away.

"You're right!" Sage pushed the snowmobile faster, straining to reach. Ryo beat him to the punch, however, and roared past him. He skidded snow five feet into the air when he spun to a stop.

"Rowen! Rowen!" They heard him cry as he dove onto the passenger side of the tipped vehicle and try to wrench the door open. It was jammed, so he tried the back. It popped open, "Hey, Ro? Guys, he's not in here!"

"Strange. There are not any footprints either," Anubis said.

"Anubis, would there really be any?" Cye asked.

"The snow around the vehicle is freshly overturned, and the hot engine has melted most of the snow under the carriage of the car and around the hood," The thousand-plus year old man shook his head, "The car had been here less than an hour."

"So, what does that mean?" Sage asked him, coming to stand near Ryo.

Anubis was silent. They saw him rest his hand on the car side, then look inside, "The driver's side window has been smashed, as the passenger side…"

"The crash?"

"I don't think so," Sage shook his head, "There aren't any dents anywhere to say that he crashed. I'd say he slipped off the road, then tried to get out, but the door was jammed, so he smashed the window open."

"I think something took him," Cye spoke up.

"Why do you say that, Cye?" Ryo asked.

"Look at the window glass," He pointed, then a wave of static came over the speakers, "—lying on the inside. Someone smashed it in from out here."

"Then Rowen smashed the other window? Why?" Sage asked, crossing his arms over his thick green and gold parka.

"A weapon?" Anubis offered.

"Shatter-proof glass," Ryo picked up a couple chunks of glass from inside the car, "It webs out instead of shattering. Safer that way if you get in a crash."

"An escape route?" Cye offered.

"Something would have had to scare him pretty bad in order to make him try to dig his own escape tunnel," Sage turned out towards the storm, "We aren't going to find him here. Where do you think he is?"

"Snow monsters," Ryo grinned, then became serious, "Honestly, I don't know where to look."

"Snow monsters…" They could hear the gears turning as Anubis thought, "Wintry-Shards? No, impossible…"

"What's impossible? What are Wintry-Shards?" Sage demanded.

"Creatures created by one of Talpa's Underlords, many, many thousands of years ago, before even I was born," Anubis said quietly, "Bishkaki, the Warlord of Glacial Freeze, was an uneasy soul, and he tried to stop Talpa from entering the Mortal world the first time."

"And the Wintry-Shards were his goons?" Ryo leaned against the car side.

"Yes, but they were all destroyed with the fire attack, under Talpa's control," Anubis added quickly, "They would be the only ones that could do something like this, unless it was a very determined enemy. No normal human could have done this."

"How do we find out if it was a Shard?" Sage asked.

"I do not know," Anubis shrugged, "They are only legends."

"Then how do we tell if it was a Shard or something else?" Ryo demanded. The snow was up to their hips now, and the snowmobiles were barely staying above the surface.

"There would have been a large suction mark in the snow," Anubis said, "That is how the Shards kidnap their prey."

"Like that would have survived the storm," Ryo grumbled, disheartened.

"A suction? Like that?" Cye pointed inside the car, beyond the shattered window, where a large circular mark marred the snow. Anubis glanced inside and nodded.

"Exactly, but I cannot believe that the Shards would have been so stupid as to leave the mark where someone could see it and it could not be disguised," Anubis snorted in derision, "How could Strata have been captured by such stupid creatures?"

"Maybe he was fighting so much that they couldn't get him out of the car and into the storm out here, so they had to drag him down instead of up," Sage sat on his snowmobile and reached for the keys.

"What's wrong, Sage?"

"I left the keys right here," He muttered, "I didn't take them out."

"Are they in your pockets?" Ryo walked over to his snowmobile, "Hey, mine are gone too!"

Sage was pulling off his gloves to search in his pockets while the others checked their snowmobiles. Anubis held his keys up in the air while Cye came up empty.

"How come you still have your keys, and no one else does?" Ryo asked.

"I put mine in my pocket," He answered, almost smugly.

"Sage, do you know if Master Yurigatchi has spares? On the snowmobiles, I mean?" Ryo asked. Sage nodded and held his gloves in one hand while he bent behind his snowmobile and began twisting the latch of the compartment, trying to get it open.

Suddenly, through the speakers, there came a strangled cry for help. The snow storm intensified a hundred-fold as the three men rushed to where Sage had been crouching.

Sage was halfway under the snow, struggling against a force that tried to pull him under. One hand was clutching at the white icy tendril that was wrapped around his throat, while the other reached out for anything to grab onto.

"Sage!" Ryo dove for his friend's hand. He gripped it tightly, but Sage's hand was slippery. In the darkness, outside the ring of light cast by the snowmobile's headlights, which, strangely, were still on, Ryo couldn't tell why he wasn't getting a good grip.

He pulled hard, struggling to pull his friend away. He held onto Sage's hand tightly, around his wrist. Sage gripped his wrist in return, but Ryo could tell that he was getting tired.

Anubis dug frantically, trying to find the source of the pull. A block of snow, no, a _head_, leapt out of the snow at him and screeched loudly. The head, after knocking Anubis back, turned slowly on a neck of ice, and looked at Ryo with its black, lifeless eyes.

"No, Ryo, don't look at its eyes!" Anubis cried, and Cye saw what was happening to his friend.

"Ryo, let go! Let go of Sage!"

"No…he'll die…they'll take him, too…" Ryo mumbled.

"Cye!" Sage cried. The Britan knew that Sage understood, "You have to do it!"

Cye jumped forward and tackled Ryo, knocking him to the side. Sage's hand slid from his grip.

Without any further resistance, the creature dove back under the snow and dragged the Ronin of Light under the snow. Anubis snatched at his hand before it disappeared, but all he brushed were the tips of his fingers before he disappeared.

Ryo lay on the ground, shaking. Cye was sitting behind him, his hand on his shoulder. Anubis pounded on the ground in anger, then picked himself up and moved to their sides.

"Ryo? Ryo, it was not your fault," Anubis though he was crying, but when Ryo rolled over, he realized that it was a mixture of laughter and tears.

"L-l-look," The cold, tears, and laughter made him stutter, "Look w-w-what he gave me…before he was pulled under…"

His hand opened up and revealed a spare set of keys.


	10. The Lost Armor

Season Three – The Lost Armor – Episode Ten

"Sage…"

Light passed over the blonde man's face, intermittently, as if coming from a swinging lantern that flared and faded with each swing. He groaned as the pain in his neck and back flared.

"Sage?"

Then he remembered what had happened. His eyes swam uncertainly as he struggled to wake up, to move…his vision blurred, then focused on the face of the man that bent over him.

"R—" He tried to form the word with frozen lips, "Ro—"

"Hey, you're awake," He said quietly, "Let's get you to a cot."

Sage was picked up gently and laid on a bed that felt as hard as the snow that he had been dragged through. He struggled to sit up, but the man would not let him.

"You look like you didn't go down without a fight," He said, smirking, "They gave you extra special care when they dumped you in here. Seems like you gave them a heck of a run for their money."

"Rowen—" Sage finally got the name out through pain and ice.

"Yeah," The blue haired man's face was lit up by the sporadic flashing, dimming, and swinging of the light source.

"So cold here…" Sage groaned and tried to flex his painful fingers.

"Don't. You could make it worse," Rowen warned, "Why you aren't wearing gloves is beyond me, but I have mine."

Sage felt Rowen put his black driving gloves on his hands, "No, Rowen—you need them…"

"Not as much as you," His voice turned grim, "Bishkaki made me watch everything. Ryo could have been dead now if you hadn't given up those keys and your grip. If Cye hadn't tackled him away from you…"

"I know, I know…"Sage grumbled and raised his hands to his head. Nothing but static came through the speakers anyway, so he gingerly pulled off the helmet and dropped it on the floor, "Help me sit up."

"After the beating they just put you through? I don't think so, buddy," Rowen shook his head.

"I don't remember…" Sage grimaced, raising a hand to his forehead. The warmth of the gloves was thawing his fingers painfully, but he knew the stabs would fade into pinpricks eventually, "I—I get flashes, but nothing else."

"I wouldn't want to remember any of that either, hey," Rowen grimaced, "They caught you a long time ago. One hour for every goon I smashed with my armor."

"You have your armor now?" Sage pushed himself up and leaned his back against the wall. He sighed from the effort. Rowen just shook his head

"Yeah, I put it on as soon as I saw those eyes," He shuddered, "I fought back, but I barely had time to grab my briefcase before they pulled me under. I didn't get treated half as bad as they beat you up."

"Mine…I left it with Ryo…and the keys," Sage shivered uncontrollably, his teeth chattering, "I didn't want these creeps to get it…"

"Idiot! If you had kept your armor, their beatings wouldn't have hurt half as much, and you wouldn't have passed out every other hour!" Rowen snapped, clenching his fists, "I knew that you didn't have your armor, and it hurt _me_ to have to watch that!"

"I didn't want to take the chance…" Sage grimaced at Rowen's outburst.

"Chance? What chance do we have at escaping with you in a condition like this?" Rowen sighed and sank back, his anger spent.

"With my armor orb…Ryo can use the energy to create the Inferno armor," Sage smirked with dry, broken lips, "Snow melts, my friend."

"You need four armors," Rowen reminded him, then slapped his own forehead, "Anubis' armor! But…Wouldn't Mia's Kayura armor work too?"

"Didn't wanna take that chance," Sage coughed from frozen lungs.

"You need to relax," Rowen said, "Sorry about blowing up. I—I didn't mean to call you an idiot."

__

I just hope Ryo and the others have better luck than we did, Sage thought as he closed his eyes. He couldn't fall asleep again, but the pain…it dragged him back into the realm of darkness and unconsciousness.

"Did you find it?" Ryo called through the headset.

"No! Are you sure he didn't take it with him?" Cye responded.

They were combing the snow, trying to find the small orb that Sage had slipped to Ryo along with the keys. It had fallen when Cye had tackled him to get him away from the Wintry-Shard's eyes.

"It could be anywhere now," Ryo grumbled, "We need to find that orb!"

Hours later, and hundreds of square feet of snow later, the armor orb for the Armor of Halo was still missing…and they were all still in danger of being captured. Snow still fell, heavier than before.

"It's gone," Ryo hung his head and clenched snow in his fists, "They must have it!"

"Ryo, you can't just give up like this," Cye said, "We still have the other armors."

"Forget the armors, we need to find a way into wherever they took Rowen and Sage," Ryo grimaced, flexing his fingers. He got to his feet, "But how are we supposed to find a way into a place where we don't even know where it is?"

"We have to find a way…" Cye shook his head.

"There was one that Talpa sent to defeat Bishkaki," Anubis said aloud, through the howling of the wind and the static wave that suddenly passed across the speakers, "A creature he called Unicorn. It took the form of the myth, a one-horned horse, and was very deadly."

"Let me guess, he destroyed the Wintry-Shards," Ryo snapped, not meaning to sound angry, but he came out enraged and pissed.

"No, Bishkaki defeated _it_," Anubis admitted, leading them into the tree cover, "But, besides Talpa himself, Unicorn came the closest to ever defeating him."

"It? You mean it isn't male?" Cye asked, sitting on Sage's snowmobile. They had been forced to move them all out of the snow by hand and under the trees as they could, for fear of them being buried.

"If anything, Unicorn prefers taking the female form, for the horse-like form was female. Unicorn itself was just an wandering spirit," Anubis looked at the drifted wall of snow that stood beyond the shadow of the trees. The branches cracked under his feet as he took a step towards his snowmobile, "We must go."

"Why? Are they coming back?" Ryo moved to Sage's and pulled the keys from his pocket. None of the other snowmobiles had spares, which was strange in itself.

"I remember that flash of static from when Sage was attacked," He said, starting up the engine, "We have, perhaps, a minute before they arrive."

"Well, let's get going!" Cye jumped on Sage's snowmobile with Ryo, holding onto the strap across the seat.

They took off into the shadow of the trees, where it would be easier to get atop the snow. Once they reached the surface, however, there was a surprise waiting for them. Ryo growled angrily.

"Cye, take control, then follow Anubis! I'm going to take care of these jokers myself!" He handed over the snowmobile and jumped off in front of the white creatures with their black eyes.

"You want a fight? You got it!"

__

Armor of Wildfire, Dao Jin!

The familiar red armor encased him, and the two katanas fit perfectly in the grip of his hands. He hadn't known if this would work, because, no matter how hard they had tried, it had not come when bidden.

Now it did.

The creatures screeched and faced him, their black eyes following his every move. He lined them up with a smirk and the handles of his swords fit perfectly together.

"_Flare Up…_" He leapt into the snow filled air, "_NOW!_"

Vaporization…

The flames instantly disintegrated the creatures, leaving only a small disc behind. Ryo landed on the wet soaking grass and looked up at the head high trench that he had created in the snow.

"Not too tough," He grumbled. The Wildfire armor pulsed with a red glow and disappeared. 

But the Wildfire swords remained.

He slipped them into the sheaths that had become a part of his subarmor.

"How cool is that?" He said aloud, "Maybe I can even use my attack out of armor…"

"Ryo!"

Cye's head appeared over the edge of the trench, "Are you all right?"

"Definitely…" He whispered, looking over his shoulder at the trench and the Swords of Wildfire. He turned his grin to Cye, "Very, definitely all right."

"That's good," He reached down, "Come on, we need to get home! Anubis thinks Mia might be in serious trouble."

"All right, let's go!"

Two pairs of raven black eyes followed their movements, counting how many Wintry-Shards they had destroyed and calculating the level of danger that their master faced.


End file.
